An Alternate Universe
by snareplayingpiccolo
Summary: First year college student, Marian Eve Blackwood, finally begins her college career. She joins the drum line, but something catches her off guard, something that she was not expecting. What will happen to Marian and her new found freedom and power? Will she find love in the guy she once knew? Or will her world fall to pieces again? Love and magic abound!
1. Prologue: The Letter

**A/N: This is my first marching band story so yeah…. Anyways, all forms of reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Prologue**

**The Letter**

_June 9__th__, 2008_

_To my dearest and closest friend Marian Eve Blackwood,_

_ We have been the best of friends since we were really young. We have always been so close. We have created good and bad memories together. We have fought like a married couple yet there for one another like a brother and sister. We loved each other to no ends. We have always had a strong bond, a bond that has formed ever since we met when we were young toddler._

_ I have always loved you with all my heart. I have always loved you as a sister. I have recently started loving you more than just as a sister and a friend. I have fallen in love with you. Your beautiful slanted hazel- blue gray eyes pierce through my own blue eyes, reading my thoughts and emotions. Your pretty anime like face framed by naturally straight breast length Asian black hair highlighted by sandy blonde hair attracts me. Your gentle, caring yet serious temperament softens my heart. Your quick-witted and sarcastic tone makes me laugh and smile. Everything about you arouses me._

_ But there is something that I must tell you. It's something that could destroy our relationship. It's something that will hurt you immensely. It hurts me to have to tell you this. It hurts me to write this to you. This feeling that I feel hurts me. It hurts me knowing that I will break your feelings as well because of this. It breaks my heart knowing that I will break your heart._

_ I love someone else. This love I feel for her is a stronger pull than what is between you and me. I regret feeling this way so much. Writing this to you in a letter hurts me. I regret it now and will always regret this moment, this letter, this feeling of disappointment._

_ I must apologize for my poor choice in women. I am sorry for causing all the pain that you feel. I am sorry for making you angry. I am sorry for everything I have done to you. I am truly sorry for everything. I understand your anger, your pain. Feel free to be angry at me. Feel free to take that anger out on me. It is my fault for your anger and your pain. Please do not put our friendship in jeopardy just because of this. I want our friendship to last. I would die for you no matter what happened. I would become sick if you stopped being my friend. Please Marian! Accept my apology!_

_ Always know that I will always care for you. Always know that I love you deeply. Always know that I will protect you. Always know that I cherish you with all my heart. I love you and I will always love you._

_ Love always,_

_ Carter Fairchild_

I received this hand written letter about a week after his graduation four years ago. I was in love with him then. After this receiving this letter, I became angry. I became angry at him for causing this pain. I became angry at myself for being so naïve. I felt lost in this little town. I felt lost in this big world. I felt empty. Every emotion I felt prior left me. I became an empty shell of what I once was. In the months that followed, my physical appearance altered slightly. In the months that followed, my magic grew in strength, power and intensity.


	2. Chapter 1: A Fresh Start

**A/N: Yay for chapter one! Reviews are greatly appreciated for up and coming chapters! Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter One**

**A Fresh Start**

Cool dry Montana air hung loosely around the Missoula Valley. Green grass and trees swooshed slightly with the cool, gentle breeze. The city nestled in afore mentioned valley is just barely waking in the early morning hours. Police officers patrol the streets of the sleepy town just waiting to catch an early morning troublemaker. Sometimes it is rare to catch a criminal early in the morning in such a small town. The soft chattering of the University of Montana Marching Band members on campus only breaks the quietness of town.

Joining a growing line just starting to snake out of the music building, I stood behind a group of people with a water bottle filled to the brim with cold water in one hand and a mechanical pencil stuck in my ponytail. I eavesdropped in on conversations I'm not supposed to listen in on. It's a bad habit of mine, a really bad habit of mine. Just by listening in, I soon found out who I liked and who I didn't like. By looking around at the others in the band, I did not like some of these people. Some are way to egotistic. Others are way too weird. There are a few who just seem like the quiet type. I might have to stick with mostly drum line this year. Hopefully most of them aren't as moronic as my high school drum line was last year when I was in charge of it.

Suddenly, someone or something toppled into me from behind. My hands instantly reached behind me and grabbed a cloth like substance steadying our balances. Being a snare drummer it's a lot harder to lose my balance in most situations. In this case, I wasn't expecting someone or something to just ram into me from behind. I spun around quickly, glaring icy daggers at the man behind me. What surprised me the most was who had bumped into me.

A somewhat lean man of twenty-two or twenty-three stood tall at five foot six. He wore light blue jeans and a light blue t-shirt. A clean-shaven, sort of long like face faced my direction. If you look close enough, you could see sandy blonde stubble beginning to form. His sandy blonde hair cut short but with some bangs. His sky blue eyes met mine, the vibes of recognition and surprise etched deep within his eyes. Yet I watched those sky blue eyes of his could not resist the urge to travel down my body.

_ 'This guy looks oddly familiar.' _I thought to myself. '_Have I seen him before? If so, where did I see him? I don't ever remember seeing him anywhere. Come to think of it, I might have seen him at my graduation in June. I don't remember inviting him to my graduation. Was it this guy who sent me the sticks I received from an anonymous person at my graduation party that I always carry with me? Wait a minute… This guy is an older version of Carter. Is this the Carter that I used to know?'_

I stand at a mere five foot one. I come up to just a bit below his chin. My extremely thin build and small breasts prove that I have not eaten well for being a seventeen almost eighteen year old. My body weight is way below average for my age group. My face takes the form of a very pretty anime or manga like face. My naturally straight breast long black hair highlighted by sandy blonde highlights framed my pretty face. My slanted hazel- blue gray eyes radiated a soft glow, every emotion hidden deep within.

"What was that for?" I said coldly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you. I wasn't paying attention. Please forgive me for my clumsiness. Wait a minute, I know you from somewhere. Let me think," he said quietly.

"You do know me from somewhere, Carter. It has been a long while since we have been together," I said icily, remembering the last discussion we had before the letter.

_Flashback_

_After Carter's graduation party_

_His house_

_ "You are my friend, my closest friend. You always have been. You always will be."_

_ "I know. It's just really depressing knowing that you are leaving me. I'm gonna miss you when you start attending college."_

_ "Me too. I hate having to leave you so fast because of college. I love you too much to let you go. I just don't like it."_

_ "I don't like it either. I don't want you to leave me. I will join you in a few years when I start college myself. I love you too, Carter. Will we be able to keep in touch with each other over the next few years while you are away?"_

_ "Yes, we can. I would love to keep in touch with you. I don't think I would survive without hearing from you."_

_ "You have a hard enough time trying to stay away from me. You always seem to want to be with me."_

_ "You attract me. You are my best friend as well. You have this effect on guys that attracts them to you. Even Gage can't help but fall for you too despite not having as strong a relationship between the two of us."_

_ "Attract? Really? I didn't know Gage has fallen for me. I didn't even know I was attractive."_

_ "You ARE attractive! You will realize it over time. You seemed oblivious to the fact that he has also gotten protective over you, just as I have. He only allows me and to approach and touch you besides himself."_

_ "I guess I am oblivious! Haha!"_

_ "Haha! This is why we love you so much!"_

_End of flashback_

"Marian?" he asked with a quizzical look "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Carter. It is I. It has been a long while since we last saw each other this close," I replied quietly, feeling a bit queasy.

"Are you alright?" he said quickly as he grabbed hold of my arms "You don't look so good all of a sudden. Do you need to sit down?"

"I am fine. Do not worry about me," I said as I tried to wiggle free of his grasp "I can handle myself."

"I know but still. I must protect you. I must help you. I cannot resist the urge to do so," he replied softly. His hands traveled down to my waist and pulled me closer to his warm, muscular body.

I pushed him away gently. I shook my head 'no' in an attempt to get him to let me go. I didn't want this to happen so quickly. After what he had done to me a couple of years ago, it's really hard for me to accept him. I can't trust him as easily as I once was. It has been so long since I felt his touch and its kind of scaring me. I just don't know what to make of him. His unusual behavior is not what I'm expecting.

I could feel him stiffening. He knew I needed space. He knew I needed time to trust him. He knew that I didn't want things to move as fast as he would've liked. I sensed that he's debating on whether or not to follow my commands. He didn't want to let me go. He wanted to be close to me. He wanted to make sure I was all right. Yet, the small voice in the back of his mind told him to let go. Then, I felt him shiver and then let me go unwillingly.

Looking into his strikingly blue eyes, I watched as every emotion and thought flitted by. A pained look in his eyes told me that he is hurt. I knew I had hurt him, but I just couldn't let him into my life that easily. He had hurt me. I know I'm still stuck in the past. I just can't let go of what he had done to me. I reached up and stroked his cheek gently. My magic sent a gentle, reassuring tendril of magic through my fingers and into his cheek. I could feel and see him relaxing at my reassurance that it is all right to be close to me.

"Carter and Marian, it's time to move up in the line. We don't want people to cut in front of us now do we?" said a stern voice to our left, startling the both of us. The both of us looked at our friend, Gage with an amused expression on our faces before we turned and all three of us walked together into the music building to begin the long week of marching band camp.

I have a feeling this week is going to be a stressful yet fun week of band. I hope Carter and I can have a fresh start in building up our friendship again. I just hope I make it onto drum line this year.


End file.
